- Start date: 29 December 2016
- Age When Completed: 57
- Direction Walked: Sectional
General Comments
What a blessing all of the volunteers are to continue to make this experience available for each of us!
Thank you!
Food/Supplies Comments
I wish I would have bought more food in track towns, rather than carry so much.
* Walpole to Albany I carried 12 days food ☹
Favourite Section
So many beautiful parts, but Woolbales to Long Point was the best for a number of reasons; loved the plains, first view of the ocean, previous memory of Mandalay Beach, and walking the beach that day during a massive storm.
Met a couple (sight seeing?) at the top of the stairs down to the beach just when the storm was really coming in hard. They looked at me horrified, and said “you’re not going down there… are you?!?”
I just smiled, said “yep”, and kept walking.
Highlights
Beyond such diversity and peace each day, the people you meet.
Personal Reactions
Loved each day.
Wish I would have spent longer walking.
I walked it in 51 days, but if I do an End to End again I’d like to spend 70+ days.
Stay at each shelter, and spending multiple days in track towns.
I’m awed by the people that have shown the reserve to take their time, and be more appreciative of each step.
Wildlife
Seeing wild emus for the first time in 2016 was exciting.
All the roos and birds.
One snake (less than 20 cm).
*but also three tails
The quenda at Torbay shelter was pleasant surprise.
Your Best Equipment
My lovely walking poles.
They gave this old body new life by helping propel me down the track each day, greatly reducing the amount of wet bush dripping on me each morning, avoiding collisions with countless spider webs, gave me ninja skills in certain parts of the track, and a general increase of balance (which allowed me to save face on many occasions).
That said, the only time I fell on my E2E was 18/8/2017, when the Murray had flooded part of the track. The only reasonable way to access the new bridge to cross the river to get to Dookanelly (S to N) was go further up Harvey-Quindanning Rd, and cut back down one of the other roads that led back to the river. Clear day, I was walking on a completely flat road, and as I attempted to walkthrough a drying puddle no larger than a diner plate… the next thing I know, my feet are in the air in front of me, and I am parallel to the ground. BAM on my back!!!
It was a complete “cartoon fall”.
I had to laugh,
but my poles lay beside me,
stoically,
at a loss for words.
Your Worst Equipment
Though I only shared over a dozen shelters the whole way, I found myself apologising in advance to my fellow each night, for my sleeping mat, the dreaded Sea to Summit Comfort Plus, and the amount of noise it made each time I moved (which in all fairness was a lot).
For myself, I loved it, but it’s weight is why I will now likely move on.
Advice for Others
Take your time.
Enjoy each step.
Listen to others.